Who is the favourite for the Golden Boot at Euro 2012?

Euro 2012's top marksman will be...?

Mario Gomez (Germany)
Mario Gomez (Germany) © GEPA pictures

Who is the favourite for the Golden Boot at Euro 2012? Well, we are certainly spoilt for choice in the market, as there is a wonderful array of talent which is going to be on display at this summer’s finals. So who is going to be the top marksman of the tournament? Who is going to bring their shooting boots?

The powerfully attacking German game will provide plenty of chances for Mario Gomez, who should be the one spearheading it all. While the Germans have the proven experience of Miroslav Klose in their pack, Gomez is probably the one who is going to be the stand out star. He is actually outright favourite in the Euro 2012 Golden Ball betting odds at Bet365. Gomez hit nine goals for himself during Euro 2012 qualification and had 26 goals in 33 goals for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and netted twelve goals in twelve Champions League matches this season. So clearly the big danger man for the Germans at Euro 2012 and his positioning in finding space is tremendous. Germany do have an abundance of goalscoring potential with the likes of Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller, but Gomez is the main man.

Who is the favourite for the Golden Boot at Euro 2012? Germany’s Mario Gomez.

But what of the competition? First of all, one of the biggest factors in the market at it stands at the moment, is concering Spain’s David Villa, who was top scorer at Euro 2008. Villa broke his leg back in December and while he is still likely to make the Spain squad for Poland and Ukraine, whether he will be match fit and match sharp remains to be seen. So what the alternative Spanish options? Well, Valencia’s Roberto Saldado is a tremendous talent and could get a look in, but the immense form of Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Llorente must just put the latter onto the team sheet first. Llorente has been a key factor in Bilbao’s runs to the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals this season. His subtle touches and power in the air could make him a wonderfully viable option for winning the Golden Ball at Euro 2012.

For the Netherlands, Wesley Sneijder was the big success at the 2010 World Cup but has had an indifferent season with form in Serie A with Inter Milan. However, the Dutch can call on both Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Schalke’s striker Huntelaar was top scorer for the Netherlands in Euro 2012 qualification, netting twelve times, double that of what Robin van Persie managed. It was Huntelaar who was picked ahead of Robin van Persie for the early stages of qualification, until the Schalke man got injured and Arsenal’s main man took over successfully. So two fantastic options, but the Dutch generally play with only one up top, unless coach Bert van Marwijk breaks his favoured mould of playing two holding mid-fielders and fits Van Persie and Huntelaar in together for a lethal partnership.

Italy have adopted a much more positive approach to the game than we have seen for a long time. Do the Italians have anyone in the mix for favourite for the Golden Boot at Euro 2012 with Bet365? Probably not. Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli has been called up for the Euro’s, but their top scorer through qualifying Antonia Cassano suffered a big health scare and not sure what we are going to get from him. France are in the same boat as Italy really, but with perhaps a better crop of finishers. France have injury worries over striker Loic Remy, but their main man will be Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. France have a great deal of creativity with the likes of Samir Nasri, Artem Ben Arfa, Yoann Gourcuff, Yohan Cabaye and of course Franck Ribery. But you just wonder if there is any one to really step up and bury the chances that they are likely to create?

Cristiano Ronaldo may be worth a shot, but Portugal are in the highly unpredictable Group B, along with the Netherlands and Germany. So do have the Portuguese have enough to out-muscle one of those two for a qualification spot to the knock-out stage? Who are some good outside shots for Golden Boot betting in Bet365 Euro 2012 odds? Well, joint host nation Poland’s hopes will be resting on Robert Lewandowski’s shoulders. He has been the spearhead of Borussia Dortmund’s successful Bundesliga and German Cup campaigns. England’s Wayne Rooney is still England’s top potential or so the bookies thing, despite him missing the first two matches of the tournament through suspension.